AN estimated $1 million will be needed just to host the swimsuit presentation of the Miss Universe pageant next year. That would be P48,865,500 based on yesterday’s exchange rate.
Jpark Island Resort and Waterpark Cebu made the claim, after it was announced that it will host a segment of the pageant slated next year.
“This is a privately funded event. You know very well how our President (Rodrigo) Duterte has informed us that there will be no government funding. For us in the private sector, let us not wait for what Cebu can do for us but what we can do for Cebu. So we hope you will be enlightened to cooperate to make this event very successful so that the Philippines will be featured in the world as a very beautiful country,” said Justin Uy, chairman and president of Jpark Island Resort.
The resort received confirmation from the Department of Toursim last Nov. 4 that it won the honors to accommodate the contestants as Cebu will be part of the 21-day itinerary of Miss Universe 2017. Cebu will be the only destination outside Manila to host one of the major events.
Jpark Island Resort is a 10-hectare resort in Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City.
The resort will also billet half of the contestants. The women will be staying in Cebu overnight for the Jan. 17 swimsuit presentation.
“Having been chosen as the main event outside of Manila is indeed a great privilege for all of Cebu. To be able to showcase the Cebuanos and a chance to give back. Our work is to fulfill a high expectation for the event to be something we can be proud of. The event is an opportunity for all of us to embrace and to be proud of who we are, our local designers, musicians, our food. We are inviting efforts to make this event something our future generation can be proud of not only for Jpark but for the entire Cebu as well,” said Jpark Island Resort chief executive officer Jason Uy.
Jpark’s corporate liaison Arthur Lo said that the resort immediately volunteered to offer Cebu as a destination: “When talks about the possible hosting of Miss Universe here in the Philippines came about, we immediately contacted our local tourism office and in Manila because we feel that this is just a once in a lifetime opportunity for the country. We want to support our tourism.”
However, being chosen was not easy as a team had to comb the whole island in the search for the best place that can host the event. “It was not something automatic, it was a tedious process,” shared Lo.
The specifics of the event are still in the works but at the moment there are plans for a mini fashion show featuring designs of local fashion designers and a tour around the best places to visit in Cebu.